Analysis & Selections By: Dean Keppler @Keppskorner
BEST BET: 3-Majestic Palisades (Race 2)
Race #1: Selections: 1-3-4
1-Ryan’s Girl brings a three-race win streak into today’s Los Al opener, where she’s won by a combined 19-plus lengths for conditioner Genaro Vallejo. The 4-year-old filly has speed from the rail, has won over the course, and has never been better on the class hike. The lightly raced stakes-placed 3-Cipriani finished second off the 14-month layoff on May 29 and now stretches back out for her second try off the long absence for Team Baffert. The pricey $875k daughter of Bernardini has run well in all three starts. If the top pair hook up early on, things could set up for 4-Interplay, who makes his initial dirt try for Rosario and Drysdale. The 6-year-old mare has the strongest late pace figure in the field.
Race #2: Selections: 3-5-2
Class dropping 3-Majestic Palisades has run consistently well since last November and has some of the strongest speed figures in this lineup for trainer Librado Barocio. The 5-year-old gelding figures to get a favorable upfront pressing trip by Rosario and should prove tough to overhaul at this reduced level. 5-Des Doigts held on for the place spot in a game try off the claim on June 14, when getting a significant Beyer boost for his new connections, and should prove dangerous if he can repeat that last performance. Los Al staple 2-Project Leader is a three-time winner over the afternoon layout and ran well for third off the six-month freshening for Uranga just a week ago.
Race #3: Selections: 6-7-3
Trainer Jesus Uranga sends out a pair of 7-year-old mares. 6-Roman Empress looks quickest out of the gate and has been running effectively under the lights in recent months. The 7-time winner has proven she can handle the bigger afternoon layout in the past and will look to carry her speed two additional furlongs today. Her stablemate, 7-Rock N Roll Song, exited a sharp runner-up finish at this level last week. Turf to dirt 3-Headed for Om has not been competitive since last spring, beaten by double digits in the last pair, but drops substantially this afternoon from $25k claimers to today’s $6,250 level and could spring back to life with the class plunge for trainer Tim Yakteen.
Race #4: Selections: 4-3-2
Second-time starter 4-Repo drops into Cal-bred company in start number two for trainer Michael McCarthy off a well-backed May 31 unveiling where he finished a respectable game third in a five-furlong turf dash. The son of Nyquist should prove a dangerous win threat with any normal second-out improvement moving to the main track. 3-Fumano’s Fire exits a career-best try and field’s top Beyer (53) when finishing second at 47-1 on June 14, when showing good early zip. The juvenile colt by Straight Fire is the most experienced runner in this field. 2-Fumo Grigio has trained swiftly locally for today’s unveiling, which includes a :47 flat gate drill on June 20. Trainer Charlie Treece is 2-for-36 with first-time starters the past five years, but one of those wins did come here. His sire, Smokem, is only 2-for-33 with a 2-year-old debuting prodigy, but did win on debut himself.
Race #5: Selections: 2-7-5
2-Central Dispatch steps up in class off the turf sprint win, and Val Brinkerhoff claim, and this 6-year-old gelding has proven he’s just as effective on dirt. He should prove tough to reel in shortening up to 5 ½ furlongs with Rosario back for the return mount. He holds the recency edge over the likely short-priced favorite, 7-March of Time. The lightly raced 5-year-old by Justify hasn’t been out in 17 months for Baffert and has run well in all three lifetime starts, posting back-to-back (94) Beyers. He lures Hernandez off the bench, has been training well in the a.m., and this jockey-trainer combo is 4-for-5 (80%) at Los Al with horses returning >180 days the past four years. 5-Mubtadaa goes turf to dirt for Cerin off a flat sixth-place grass sprint try on May 25, but earned a career-best (93) Beyer in his sole try over this course back in July of 2024.
Race #6: Selections: 6-5-1
6-Photogenic (by Authentic) has never tried dirt for trainer Leonard Powell but is bred to like the main track and should improve on the class drop, second off the bench, off a dismal return try on June 5. This filly should clear this field, and perhaps that will be enough, and she won’t be caught. 5-Lady Ruth exits a career-best Beyer (60) with a recent second at this level at Santa Anita on June 12 in a small field. Turf to dirt 1-Sugar Reign is by Twirling Candy (17% dirt routes), dropping in class and making her initial main track debut. She fits well in this weak field if she takes to the new surface and the Los Al layout.
Race #7: Selections: 9-8-4
9-Sunset Storm gamely held on through the final furlong in a gutsy win over Levon in a short 4-horse field at Santa Anita on May 1 and likely holds the slight edge again this afternoon as the quicker of the pair from the gate. The gelding is 0-for-3 over this course but gets in light again with apprentice Alfredo Bautista. The aforementioned 8-Levon ran well in both dirt starts at Santa Anita since arriving from Turf Paradise, where he spent most of the fall of 2025 and early 2026 routing on grass. He could easily reverse that last decision with the top choice with the right trip. 4-Smiling Jojo has never run this far, but steps up in class off a nice 2 ¼-length 4 ½-furlong evening victory for a productive low-profile barn, and might just fall into a favorable stalking trip, and is not without a chance with a reasonable tempo.
Race #8: Selections: 4-3-7
The Steve Miyadi-trained 4-The Moe Show was gelded since his inspiring May 31 grass sprint debut, when he was reluctant to load and then broke slowly to trail the field. The son of Stay Thirsty was a far back fifth of sixth at the finish but looked to have some sneaky run at the end of that race. 3-Diamond Tornado was a wide trip, non-threatening seventh (placed sixth via DQ) when bumped at the break on debut at 21-1 but is eligible to move forward today for a barn that scored with second-time starter Glorys Morning last Saturday afternoon. 7-Jolt of Joy is by Grade 1 winner Jack Milton, who is 12-for-66 (18%) with his juvenile debuting prodigy. The gelding gets a cozy outside draw this afternoon.
